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The Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute has started the Presidential Appointments Project, a nonpartisan initiative aimed at identifying, recruiting and vetting LGBT professionals for potential political appointments in the next presidential administration. The Leadership Institute is partnering with LGBT organizations including the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Black Justice Coalition and the Stonewall Democrats in the effort. "The next administration must know that we are concerned about being included, determined to contribute our talents, skills and insights, and eager to participate in the hard work of governing our country," said Ambassador James C. Hormel, the first openly gay U.S. ambassador.

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The National Black Justice Coalition has hailed Connecticut state Rep. Jason W. Bartlett as the first openly gay African-American legislator in the U.S. Bartlett, a freshman lawmaker and co-chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in Connecticut, said he had never misled voters about his sexual orientation and always supported gay rights, including marriage.

Gay comic book artists and cartoonists are enjoying more widespread exposure. Los Angeles-based artist Eric Orner says the arts mainstream has expanded to include gay themes that were once on the periphery. "Over the past 15 years, storytelling about gay lives became more acceptable to mainstream audiences in books, TV, movies and comics," he said.

Some fans of the daytime drama "As the World Turns" are up in arms about a double standard applied to couples on the show. While heterosexual couples are frequently shown in the throes of passion, physical expressions between the show's gay couple, Luke and Noah, are limited to chaste hugs and hand-holding.

The murder of 15-year-old out middle-school student Larry King is spurring a nationwide call to protect LGBT students against bullying. But one friend of King's wants to make sure Larry is remembered for who he was, and not as a symbol.

A lesbian police officer in Los Angeles will have her day in court, thanks to a judge who is allowing her lawsuit alleging wrongful termination and retaliation against the LAPD to go to trial. Shelby Feldmeier says that her complaints to supervisors about offensive comments made by fellow officers were not taken seriously, and that her accusations eventually got her fired.